I have been meaning to write this post for a really long time, but I feel energised by having an amazing day so far: waking up late, taking library books back, writing emails, buying groceries, buying flowers, getting a package from my parents with two framed old photos of family members… It would be a shame to not go through with this post as well.
Here’s an important thing you need to know: the very best chili sauce is made by my dad’s colleague. itthink I got some of this in my stocking last year at Christmas, or tried it at my parents’, and realised how amazing it is. This stuff is incredible. I brought over a bottle of it last year, and when we were running out, I got my dad to deliver several bottles to a friend – who lives an hour away from my parents – to bring me in the UK. After Christmas, I came back to London with 3 bottles.
The thing about the UK is that, yes, they sell chilis and Tabasco sauce, but that is usually the maximum level of spiciness possible to find. Of course, I have had some of the hottest food I have ever had in my life – one Sri Lankan place in Manchester in particular stands out – but in general, even “spicy” food is not that spicy. And as any chili-lover knows, chili love is an actual addiction.
It’s also not just me. At my flatmate’s birthday barbecue last year in the back yard, we put some out as a condiment. Two people came up to me, begging to know where I got it.
Dad – pass this to your colleague, and we can set up a business.
I just did a photo shoot with my 6 bottles, of varying levels of fulness. Here’s the full lineup that I have in London:
They have awesome names, so let’s introduce them individually. First, the old crew:
This consists of
Chipotle Apocalypse
Chipotle Annihilation
… and (my personal favorite name) China Cat Sunflower.
As you might suspect, the red ones are hotter than the not-red ones, although I haven’t tried the new ones so not sure if that holds true with them. I love Chipotle Apocalypse – it is sort of smoky. Chipotle Annihilation is pretty annihilatingly spicy. China Cat Sunflower has a good flavor and is not incredibly spicy.
The new crew – which I haven’t tasted yet – are here:
That includes
Golden Road to Unlimited Infernos,
Lucifer’s Juice,
and (I’m not sure what this means) Fatalli Distraction.
Aren’t they great? I love how trippy the names are; I was mystified by China Cat Sunflower, until I googled it and found out it was a Grateful Dead song. So here’s a trippy picture of me with that bottle, in the spirit of the name:
Yet another thing in common, and more to discuss. Though spicy sauces are a natural addition to any home, what the west misses but is rather necessary is a coriander infusion. Perhaps you can ask your dad’s pal to invest in this direction; however, please, do call it coriander, not cilantro. That’s so gauche.
By: daron on January 21, 2012
at 4:02 pm
Coool – chili sauce rocks. We need to swap sauces! There’s a woman local to us who makes something called Cathy’s Hot Lips, made of Scotch Bonnet peppers which is hot, hot, hot. And I make very good fresh chicken rice chili sauce which blows your head off if you get the right chillis. Iin Bristol, at St Nicholas Market there’s a stall dedicated to hot chili sauces with names just ilke your dad’s friend’s. : )
By: Michelle Lee on January 21, 2012
at 6:58 pm
I literally cried from laughing so hard at those names. I love them! I think Golden Road to Unlimited Infernos is my favorite. And Lucifer’s Juice.
By: Kamila on February 10, 2012
at 5:13 am